Skid steer loader machines are known for being versatile machines in a wide variety of lifting and moving operations. In general, skid steer loaders are utilized in construction job, demolition jobs, and anywhere else relatively small, nimble machines are needed. One particular capability skid steer loaders are utilized for is gathering materials in a work tool such as a bucket, moving the materials and depositing the materials in a dump truck or container.
One issue conventional skid steer loaders face is that when lifting a load into a high position, the arc path of the lift arm linkage brings the bucket or work tool over top the skid steer loader. This makes it difficult to then place the contents of the bucket into a high sided container or perform other similar operations. To minimize this issue, the lift arm linkage is generally attached at a relatively high point near the rear of the skid steer loader. In this manner, the arc path of the lift arm linkage takes the bucket or work tool forward of the conventional skid steer loader until the bucket is at the same height as the linkage attachment point. Unfortunately, once the bucket is raised above the attachment point of the linkage, the arc path of the lift arm again brings the bucket over top of the conventional skid steer loader.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,075 (hereinafter “the '075 publication”), entitled “High Lift Mounting Means for Loader Buckets,” describes a linkage arm system to deliver contents of the bucket above the loader without the bucket being over top the loader. However, this linkage is complicated by dozens of pins and linkage arms.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved lift arm linkage to address the problems described above and/or problems posed by other conventional approaches.